Windies search for star spinner

John Dyson is looking for a spin bowler to make a big impact on the West Indies' home Test series against England, starting next month.

Written by Agence-France Presse

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St John's, Antigua:

John Dyson is looking for a spin bowler to make a big impact on the West Indies' home Test series against England, starting next month.

The West Indies coach is expecting the series to be "tense, hard-fought" cricket, but he believes his side can gain an edge if they can identify and select a match-winning spin bowler.

"The series is a further opportunity for a spinner to make a major contribution to the bowling effort," he said.

Historically, spin bowling has not featured prominently in the West Indies' attack, and it has done so far less in the last three decades, particularly when the Caribbean side ruled international cricket between 1980 and 1995.

But the quest to find a champion spin bowler has been revived under Dyson who has been willing to experiment with the likes of Suleiman Benn, Nikita Miller, and Amit Jaggernauth in recent international matches.

Dyson however, feels it's an important role and expects the contenders to use the ongoing West Indies domestic first-class championship to advertise their suitability.

"Hot competition for the spinning role exists between Sulieman Benn, Nikita Miller, Amit Jaggernauth, Dave Mohammed and others, and all should be desperately keen to impress the selectors in the regional four-day matches," he said.

"Whoever is ultimately given the job must provide the wicket-taking variety West Indies need to balance the established pace attack."

Dyson also believes there is room for a new face in the fast bowling bowling department, although he is satisfied with the work of the established trio of Jerome Taylor, Fidel Edwards, and Daren Powell, if others are not.

"The trio is no longer a 'rookie' combination and big things are expected of them," he said.

"Edwards had a fine series in New Zealand and returned his best ever haul of seven for 87 at Napier. His pace and controlled aggression will be important weapons in the home series and strong support from Taylor and Powell will be required to bowl out England in the Tests."

England face West Indies on February 4 at Sabina Park in the Jamaica capital of Kingston in the first of four Tests.

This will be followed by Tests in Antigua (February 13-17), Barbados (February 26-March 2) and Trinidad (March 6-10) before the two sides play a Twenty20 International and five One-day Internationals between March 15 and April 3.